Bag machinery



Jan. 5, 1960 COAKLEY 2,919,789

BAG MACHINERY Filed June 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

Jan. 5, 1960 L. COAKLEY 2,919,789

BAG MACHINERY Filed June 9, 1958 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States PatentOffice 2,919,789 Patented Jan. 5, 1960 BAG MACHINERY Lige Coakley, EastPepperell, Mass., assignor to Bemis Bro. Bag Company, St. Louis, M0,, acorporation of Missouri Application June 9, 1958, Serial No. 740,692

16 Claims. (Cl. 198-35) This invention relates to bag machinery, andmore particularly to apparatus for accumulating bag tubes.

Among the several objects of the invention may be notedthe provision ofan apparatus for receiving bag tubes, such as multiwall paper bag tubes,delivered thereto one after another, as from a tuber (which is a machinefor forming webs of paper into continuous multiwall tubing andsegmenting the tubing into individual bag tubes), and accumulating anumber of tubes; the provision of apparatus such as described includingmeans for stacking these tubes; the provision of apparatus such asdescribed adapted for adjustment to accumulate different numbers oftubes; the provision of apparatus such as described adapted foradjustment to accommodate different lengths of tubes; and the provisionof apparatus such as described which is of relatively economicalconstruction and reliable in operation. Other objects and features willbe in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordinglycomprises the constructions hereinafterdescribed, the scope of the invention being indicated in the followingclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possibleembodiments of the invention is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an accumulating and stacking apparatus of thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. '3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal cross section taken on line33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal cross section taken on line 44 of Fig.2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical transverse cross section taken on line5-5 of Fig. 1; and,

. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical cross section taken on line 6--6 ofFig. 5.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, an apparatus ofthis invention is shown tocomprise a supporting framework 1 carrying a first endless conveyor belt3, a second endless conveyor belt 5 and a third endless conveyor belt 7.The first belt 3 is adapted to receive bag tubes T issuing one afteranother from a'tuber (not shown, but which would be to the left of Figs.1 and 2). The bag tubes T are delivered on to the upper reach 3a of thebelt 3, this belt being driven in clockwise direction as viewed in Figs.2 and 3 so that its'upper reach 3a travels toward the right as viewed inFigs. 1-3. Belt 3 is trained around a rearward pulley 9 and a forwardpulley 11 supported by the framework 1. The second belt 5 is trainedaround a rearward pulley 13 and a forward pulley 15 supported by theframework 1, and has an upper reach 5a which ,is generally coplanar withthe upper reach 3a of the first belt 3. The rearward pulley '13 for thesecond belt 5 is spaced forward of the forward pulley '11 for the firstbelt -3 so that there is a space as indicated at 17 in Fig. 3

between the forward end of the upper reach 3 of belt 3 2 and therearward end of the upper reach 5a of belt 5. The latter is driven inclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 so that its upper reach5a travels forward (toward the right) the same as the upper reach 3a ofbelt 3. The speed of belt 5 is preferably greater than the speed of belt3, though not necessarily so.

The framework 1 includes a platen 19 for supporting the upper reach 3aof belt 3 and a platen 21 for supporting the upper reach 5a of belt 5(see Fig. 3). These platens and the upper reaches of the belts arepreferably inclined upward in forward direction as appears in Fig. 1,though not necessarily so. In some instances, they may be horizontal.Between the forward end of the upper reach 3a of belt 3 and the rearwardend of the upper reach 5a of belt 5 there is a plate 23 coplanar withplatens 19 and 21 supported by the framework. Mounted on the under sideof this plate 23 is a suction box 25. Plate 23 has suction holes 27above the box. A blower 29 is mounted under the belt 3 on theframework 1. The inlet of the blower is connected to the suction box 25by a line 31 which includes a valve 33 of a type adapted alternately toestablish a connection between the blower and the box for drawing avacuum in the box or venting the box to atmosphere. Valve 33 is operatedby a cam 35 on-a camshaft 37 journalled in bearings 39 mounted on aplatform 41 supported by the framework 1.

A variable speed drive unit 43 is mounted on the platform 41. The inputshaft 45 of this unit is driven from the crimp roll camshaft 47 of thetuber via a chain and sprocket drive as indicated at 49. The outputshaft 51 of this unit is connected by a gear box 53 to the camshaft 37.Belt 3 is driven from a variable speed drive motor 55 by means of achain and sprocket drive 57 connected to the shaft 59 of the forwardpulley 1.1 for belt 3. Belt 5 is driven from shaft 59 by means of achain and sprocket drive 61 connected to the shaft 63 of the rearwardpulley 13 for belt 5. This drive is preferably a speed-increasing driveso that belt 5 travels faster than belt 3, though not necessarily so.

Extending up from the framework 1 on opposite sides of the upper reachof the first belt 3 are posts 65 for supporting side bars 67. A rod 69extends transversely above the upper reach 3a of belt 3 having its endsmounted in blocks 71 slidable on bars 67. Rod 69 carries pivotedhold-downsv 73. Side guides (not shown) may be provided if desired forside-guiding bag tubes T on belts 3 and 5. Extending up from theframework 1 on opposite sides of the upper reach 5a of belt 5 adjacentits forward end are posts 77. A rod 79 extends transversely above theupper reach 5a of belt 5 having its ends mounted in the posts 77. Arms8-1 pivoted on rod 79 carry a spoked rubber-tired wheel 33 adapted tobear down on the belt 5 where it travels down and around the forwardpulley 15.

The third belt 7 is located forward of and below the forward end of thesecond belt 5. It is trained around rearward and forward pulleys and 87supported by the framework 1 and has a horizontal upper reach 7asupported by a platen 89. Belt 7 is driven by an electric motor 91 and aspeed reducer 93 via a chain and sprocket drive 95 connected to theshaft 97 for the forward pulley 87. Motor 91 is under control of aswitch 99 intermittently actuated by a cam 101 on camshaft 37 (see Figs.2 and 4). Extending up from the framework 1 on opposite sides of theupper reach 7a of belt 7 are posts 103 supporting side bars 105. A rod107 extends transversely above the upper reach 7a of belt 7 adjacent theforward end of reach 7a, the rod having its ends mounted in blocks 109slidable on bars 105. A gate 111 is pivoted on rod 107 and adapted tohang down with its lower edge immediately above the upper reach 7a ofbelt 7. The gate has a notch 113 adapted to receive a latch 115 forlatching the gate in vertical position. Latch 1315 is pivoted on abracket 117 mounted on the rod 107 and controlled by a solenoid 119mounted on the bracket. The solenoid is controlled by switch 99, beingenergized when the switch 99 is actuated by cam 101 to retract the latchand allow the gate to swing forward and upward. As shown in Figs. 2 and4, the electrical circuit 121 which connects switch 99 to motor 91 andsolenoid 99 includes an adjustable timer 123 for establishing apredetermined interval of operation of motor 91 and solenoid 99independently of the speed of the camshaft 37.

Operation is as follows:

Belts 3 and 5 are continuously driven by motor 55. The camshaft 37 iscontinuously driven from the tuber at a speed related to that of thetuber. Belt 7 is driven only intermittently, when cam lldl actuates theswitch 9 and for the interval imposed by the timer 123. The blower 29 isdriven continuously by its own motor. Bag tubes T issue from the tuberone after another and are deposited on the upper reach 3a of belt 3 inoverlapping fashion. The tubes are fed forward by the upper reach 3a ofbelt 3. When the bottom tube of an accumulation of tubes on beit 3travels beyond the forward end of the upper reach 3a of belt 3 and overthe suction holes 27 in plate 23, it is gripped to plate 23 by suction(valve 33 at this time being set for drawing a vacuum in the suction boxSuccessive bag tubes continue to travel forward to some extent, slidingforward one over another, and ultimately a number of tubes pile up onthe arrested bottom tube in a pile as indicated at P in Figs. 2 and 3wherein the forward end of each successive tube is offset rearward fromthe forward end of the preceding tube.

When pile P has been completed, the cam 35 actuates valve 33 to vent thesuction box 25 to atmosphere. This releases the grip on the bottom tubeof the pile, and the pile is freed to be fed forward by belt 5. Thetubes T accumulated in the pile P travel down off the forward end of theupper reach 5a of belt 5 and onto the belt 7 where they stack up withtheir forward ends engaging the rear face of the gate 111 in the stackdesignated S. Then, switch 9? closes, energizing solenoid ll) to releaselatch 13.5 and energizing motor 91 to drive belt '7 to feed the stack 5forward and onto a table (not shown) from which they are removed by anoffbearer. Stack S, in moving forward, swings the gate 111 up and out ofthe way. When the stack S travels out from under the gate, the gateswings back down under its own weight, and is relatched. Blocks 109 areslidable on bars M5 to adjust the position of the gate lengthwise ofbelt 7 for accommodation of different lengths of tubes.

The number of tubes T which accumulate in the pile P is determined bythe interval between operations of the valve to vent the suction box 25to atmosphere. This interval may be varied for varying the number oftubes which accumulate in the pile P by adjusting the variable speeddrive unit 43 to vary the speed of the camshaft 37 relative to the speedof the tuber. The adjustment may be such, for example, as to allow foraccumulation of from ten to forty tubes in the pile. The cam 161 is sodeveloped and phased as to actuate the solenoid 1119 to release gatefill and initiate operation of the belt 7 at the appropriate time afterthe release of of the vacuum grip on the bottom tube of the pile P suchas to allow for the feeding forward onto the belt 7 of all the tubes inthe pile. The time interval established by timer 123 for operation ofthe belt 7 is sufficient for the stack 5 to be fed forward off belt 7.

While the apparatus is described above in reference to the accumulationand stacking of ba tubes, it will be understood that it is useful foraccumulating other flexible fiat articles. In some instances, theapparatus may be used without the stacking feature to divide the streamof bag tubes issuing from the tuber into bundles of a desired sizewithout makin a complete break between bundles.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for accumulating flexible fiat articles, such as bag tubes,comprising a first conveyor for receiving the articles one after anotherfrom a source with the articles lying on the conveyor in overlappingrelation and for feeding the articles in forward direction, a secondconveyor forward of the first conveyor also adapted to feed articles inforward direction, the rearward end of the second conveyor being spacedforward of the forward end of the first conveyor, means between theforward end of the first conveyor and the rearward end of the secondconveyor for arresting one of the articles and allowing a number ofarticlm to accumulate one over another on said one arrested article,said arresting means comprising suction means for gripping the said onearticle by suction, and means controlling said arresting means andacting intermittently to cause said means to release the said onearrested article, whereupon the second conveyor feeds the accumulationof articles forward.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said conveyorscomprises an endless belt, each belt having an upper tube-feeding reach,the upper reaches of the belts being generally coplanar, the rearwardend of the upper reach of the second conveyor belt being spaced forwardof the forward end of the first conveyor belt.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said arresting meanscomprises a suction box for gripping the said one article by suction, ablower, and a line connecting an inlet of the blower to the suction boxfor drawing a vacuum in the box, and wherein said controlling meanscomprises a valve in said line adapted alternately to establish aconnection between the blower and the box or to vent the box, and meansfor operating the valve.

4. Apparatus for accumulating and stacking flexible fiat articles, suchas bag tubes, comprising a first conveyor for receiving the articles oneafter another from a source with the articles lying on the conveyor inoverlapping relation and for feeding the articles in forward direction,a second conveyor forward of the first conveyor also adapted to feedarticles in forward direction, the rearward end of the second conveyorbeing spaced forward of the forward end of the first conveyor, meansbetween the forward end of the first conveyor and the rearward end ofthe second conveyor for arresting one of the articles and allowing anumber of articles to accumulate one over another on said one arrestedarticle, said arresting means comprising suction means for gripping thesaid one article by suction, means controlling said arresting means andacting intermittently to cause said means to release the said onearrested article, whereupon the second conveyor feeds the accumulationof articles forward, and means forward of the second conveyor forreceiving the accumulation of articles from the second conveyor andaligning the forward ends of the articles.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said conveyorscomprises an endless belt, each belt having an upper tube-feeding reach,the upper reaches of the belts being generally coplanar, the rearwardend of the upper reach of the second conveyor belt being spaced forwardof the forward end of the first conveyor belt.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said arresting meanscomprises a suction box for gripping the said one article by suction, ablower, and a line connecting an inlet of the blower to the suction boxfor drawing a vacuum in the box, and wherein said controlling meanscomprises a valve in said line adapted alternately to establish aconnection between the blower and the box or to vent the box, and meansfor operating the valve.

7. Apparatus for accumulating and stacking flexible flat articles, suchas bag tubes, comprising a first conveyor for receiving the articles oneafter another from a source with the articles lying on the conveyor inoverlapping relation and for feeding the articles in forward direction,a second conveyor forward of the first conveyor also adapted to feedarticles in forward direction, the rearward end of the second conveyorbeing spaced forward of the forward end of the first conveyor, meansbetween the forward end of the first conveyor and the rearward end ofthe second conveyor for arresting one of the articles and allowing anumber of articles to accumulate one over another on said one arrestedarticle, means controlling said arresting means and actingintermittently to cause said means to release the said one arrestedarticle, whereupon the second conveyor feeds the accumulation ofarticles forward, and a third conveyor forward of the second conveyorfor receiving the accumulation of articles from the second conveyor, endaligning means above the third conveyor engageable by the forward endsof articles received on the third conveyor, said end aligning meansbeing movable out of the way for forward movement of the accumulation ofarticles by the third conveyor after alignment of the forward ends ofthe articles against said end aligning means, and means forintermittently driving the third conveyor.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein each of the three conveyorscomprises an endless belt, each belt having an upper tube-feeding reach,the upper reaches of the first and second conveyor belts being generallycoplanar, the rearward end of the upper reach of the second conveyorbelt being spaced forward of the forward end of the first conveyor belt,the upper reach of the third conveyor belt being below the upper reachof the second conveyor belt, and wherein means is provided for guidingarticles feeding olf the forward end of the upper reach of the secondbelt down and around to the upper reach of the third belt.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said arresting meanscomprises a suction box for gripping the said one article by suction, ablower, and a line connecting an inlet of the blower to the suction boxfor drawing a vacuum in the box, and wherein said controlling meanscomprises a valve in said line adapted alternately to establish aconnection between the blower and the box or to vent the box, and meansfor operating the valve.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said end aligning meanscomprises a pivoted gate adapted to hang down with its lower edgeimmediately above the upper reach of the third belt and adapted to beswung up and forward by the accumulation of articles on the third beltwhen said accumulation is moved forward by the third belt.

.11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said gate is mounted foradjustment lengthwise of the third belt.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 provided with a latch forlatching the gate in vertical position, and means for operating thelatch concurrently with initiation of operation of the third belt.

13. Apparatus for receiving bag tubes from a tuber, accumulating anumber of tubes, and stacking them, comprising a first endless conveyorbelt having an upper for- Wardly movable reach for receiving tubes oneafter another from the tuber with the tubes lying on the upper reach inoverlapping relation and for feeding the tubes forward, a second endlessbelt conveyor having an upper forwardly movable reach generally coplanarwith and forward of the upper reach of the first belt also adapted tofeed tubes forward, means for continuously driving the first and secondbelts, a suction box between the rearward end of the upper reach of thesecond belt and the forward end of the upper reach of the first belt forvacuum gripping one of the tubes to arrest it and allowing a number oftubes to accumulate one over another on the arrested tube, a blower, aline connecting an inlet of the blower to the suction box for drawing avacuum in the box, a valve in said line adapted alternately to establisha connection between the blower and the box or to vent the box, acamshaft adapted to be driven from the tuber, a cam on the camshaft foroperating the valve, a third endless conveyor belt having an upperforwardly movable reach forward of and below the upper reach of thesecond belt, tube end aligning means above the upper reach of the thirdbelt engageable by the forward ends of tubes received on the third belt,said aligning means being movable out of the way for forward movement oftubes by the third belt after alignment of their forward ends, and meanscontrolled by a cam on said camshaft for intermittently driving thethird belt.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said end aligning meanscomprises a pivoted gate adapted to hang down with its lower edgeimmediately above the upper reach of the third belt and adapted to beswung up and forward by the accumulation of the articles on the thirdbelt when said accumulation is moved forward by the third belt.

7 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said gate is mountedfor adjustment lengthwise of the third belt.

16. Apparatus as set forth'in claim 14 provided with a latch forlatching the gate in vertical position, and means for operating thelatch concurrently with initiation of operation of the third belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,805,757 Rapley Sept. 10, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 736,769 Great BritainSept. 14, 1955

